Trans fat challenge

A group of MEPs is calling on the European Commission (EC) and Council to introduce mandatory labelling of trans fats on foods as part of forthcoming nutrition labelling legislation.

Four MEPs have tabled a declaration calling on the EC to initiate a trans fats labelling regime, drop its legal action against Denmark (which has legislated to restrict trans fats in foods), and move towards a European-wide ban.

While very few such declarations ever obtained enough signatures to gain official adoption as motions of the Parliament, there was real momentum building behind this one, insisted co-author Linda McAvan. "We've got until the end of April to get more signatures, and we're getting a lot of support from key organisations in various Member States. It just seems ludicrous in this climate, when the dangers of trans fats are now so well established, that the EC is taking legal action against Denmark for simply acting in line with EU healthy food objectives."

While the EC has threatened to take the Danish government to court on the grounds that its 2004 law restricting the use of trans fats was a barrier to trade, things have been "remarkably quiet" since, said McAvan. "They're swimming against the tide, so many people believe that this will quietly go away."

One source close to the case said the EC had postponed the issue when it last came up for discussion in December: "It is my impression that the EC is hesitating in light of the growing evidence of the negative health effects."

Most trans fats are produced during partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils to create fats that are semi-solid at room temperature.